Tutto Italia....Pros?? Cons??

[kimmar067]

or

and why??
[...please share pix......]

 

[wiggles02]

I don't have any pics, but we ate at Tutto Italia on Thursday October 4, 2007

We had a seating for 6pm and were seated as soon as we checked in. The restaurant looked more open and the tables were not a close together as they were at Alfredo's. There were linens on the table which is a change as I recall, correct me if I am wrong.

We were seated at a table for 2, just DH and myself. Christina was our server and she was excellent. Really sweet and talkative.

We were on the dining plan, basically for just this meal. We stayed one night at SSR and added the dp last minute when we heard Tutto Italia was taking reservations and we saw the prices. We originally had reservations at Le Celier but switched.

So I had the Fresh Mozzarella with tomatoes and basil ($15) DH had the Pasta Fagoli ($10) The portion of mozzarella with tomato was big and enough to share. The soup was thick and actually tasted like my grandma's, which is a complement. We also had bread and there was a plate with asparagus, olives and a couple of dipping "sauces."

For our entree, DH had the Penne Caprese ($24). The pasta was cooked perfectly and the tomato and basil were very fresh, but imo, not worth $24. I had the Tagliatelle Egg Pasta with meat ragu bolognese. It was excellent. It reminded me of a dish I had at one our our favorite restaurants in Rhode Island. I detected a hint of nutmeg in the sauce which really made the dish. Maybe worth the $25.

For dessert DH had the Tiramisu ($9) and I had the Chocolate Torta ($10). DH dusted the Tiramisu but I only ate half of the Torta, it was rich.

Overall, I felt that our meal was tasty, but a little overpriced. We ordered a quartino of red wine, a coffee and a limoncello and that cost us an extra $21.00. Our meal would have cost us $100 out of pocket with out the alcohol. It was worth it having the dining plan, we felt like we had lunch for free that day.

Christina was a great waitress and I tipped her extra. She asked us if it was our first time at Tutto Italia and we told her yes. She was a hold over from Alfredo's and she wanted to share her opinion. She said she felt the restaurant was more formal and a little less fun, without the musicians. She said the managers all very present in the restaurant.

I'm not sure if we would go out of our way to dine there again. I felt like it was really formal and I should have been dressed up. Instead I was wearing sneakers and a baseball cap because I got soaked because of the rain earlier in the day. We had eaten at Carrabba's earlier in the week and the food was great and a lot cheaper.

Hope that helps.

 

[Pumbaa_]

Topic for Restaurant Board, not Review Board

 

[kimmar067]

Topic for Restaurant Board, not Review Board

.... sorry.....

 

[jarrdisney]

Does anyone think it's any better or different from the last incarnation. I wasn't a huge fan of the last restaurant, and wonder if it's worth giving this one a shot.

 

[kimmar067]

Does anyone think it's any better or different from the last incarnation. I wasn't a huge fan of the last restaurant, and wonder if it's worth giving this one a shot.

....that's what I am also trying to find out......'specially since my DSis and her family have ADR's here for Christmas Eve - they are doing the MMVMCP, or the Christmas reading/choir 'thing' (I totaly forgot what it's called! I think it's the 'Candlelight Procession' ), and I don't think she will be too pleased if it's very pricey (there will be 5 in her party)....

 

[kimmar067]

...bumping for replies....and, perhaps, pix??

 

[BaxterBuff]

I have an ADR at Tutto Italia next Saturday. I'll be sure to take pictures and post a small review.

 

[WorldofMousecraft]

Just ate there on 9/28/2007. Looks the same as Alfredo's, but I don't think they start renovations until January so that wasn't a surprise (I might be wrong on the date). We always made a point of eating at Alfredo's. I liked the old menu (Gnocchi alla Vodka was my favorite). I wasn't impressed with Tutto Italia's menu (my apologies to those in my party whose dinner I sampled . The food was okay. No complaints. It just wasn't spectacular. I might try it again if they update the menu. Otherwise, its off our list of "places we must eat at" for future trips.

The waiter was very friendly. Recommended a good wine (Pregio del Conte) from the region in Italy he was from. The wine list was limited. No reserve wine menu.

I do miss the wandering minstrels singing & playing throughout the restaurant that I became accustomed to in previous years.




Peace,

 

[kimmar067]

I have an ADR at Tutto Italia next Saturday. I'll be sure to take pictures and post a small review.

....thanks !

 

[kimmar067]

Just ate there on 9/28/2007. Looks the same as Alfredo's, but I don't think they start renovations until January so that wasn't a surprise (I might be wrong on the date). We always made a point of eating at Alfredo's. I liked the old menu (Gnocchi alla Vodka was my favorite). I wasn't impressed with Tutto Italia's menu (my apologies to those in my party whose dinner I sampled . The food was okay. No complaints. It just wasn't spectacular. I might try it again if they update the menu. Otherwise, its off our list of "places we must eat at" for future trips.

The waiter was very friendly. Recommended a good wine (Pregio del Conte) from the region in Italy he was from. The wine list was limited. No reserve wine menu.

I do miss the wandering minstrels singing & playing throughout the restaurant that I became accustomed to in previous years.




Peace,

....how about the tables...are they still small and does it seem as crowded?

 

[inaminute]

I've not been there, and at this point, won't ever go there. We don't use the dining plan, and I simply cannot afford it. Doesn't really matter, though. We've pretty much given up on the table service restaurants in the parks. None of them are anything special for the prices you pay.

 

[kimmar067]

UPDATE:

We ate here for our Christmas dinner, right before the Candlelight Processional and it was wonderful! Actually, I was pleasantly surprised with the impeccable service, the ambiance, and the generous proportions of food. The waitstaff also gave out little shopping bags with holly-decorated tissue paper coming out of the top. Inside were homemade Italian Christmas cookies! What a nice little touch!

...of course, the price was a fixed price, since it was part of the Candlelight Pkg., but it included an appetizer, a salad, an entree, a dessert, and one non-alchoholic beverage - quite filling!

 

[kimmar067]

...bumping for pix and opinions....

 

[aubriee]

I've eaten there three times, since they became Tutto Italia and have loved each meal. I've eaten there twice for dinner and once for lunch and did enjoy the dinner menu more, but both were good. In fact, I have an ADR there for May 15th and will have another ADR there for my Sept and my Dec trips. It is too expensvie, if you are not on the DDP, but a great deal if you are. I never did like Alfredos, but love Tutto Italia. My favorite meal was the salmon with lemon sauce and capers appetizer, fish with clams entree, and the zabiliongne gelato with berries and chocolate. I don't have any pictures here at work, but will look when I get home. When I was there the first time (Dec '07), the chef himself brought out my fish and clams, told me it was his signature dish, and asked me try it and decide if I wanted more fresh ground pepper on it. He then proceeded to put the pepper on it himself. He was great!

I've posted the story before about the couple sitting next to me, but basically there was a couple and the husband was furious she'd dragged him in there. It came out he was Italian, had hated Alfredos, and was really giving his wife a hard time. Well, long story short, he round up loving it and spent his time gobbling his meal down, while drooling over mine. In fact, he even ate some of my fish and clams, at which time his eyes literally rolled back in his head. When I couldn't finish it and was going to send it back to the kitchen he nearly had a heart attack. I offered it to him, he got embarassed, but did take the clams off my plate. I thought his wife was going to die of embarassment. She couldn't believe he was eating off of a stranger's plate. I left as they were ordering dessert, but he was asking his wife if there was anyway she could get them another ADR, later in the week, because he had to order that fish and clams. I had so much fun with them.

 

[java]

I am at the guy eating your clams!

We loved it last summer. The tables were more "open" in our opinion. We are a party of 6 and used to be shoved in that back room or into a corner- this time we had a table front and center. Really a very nice table.

The food was delicious- and yes expensive. But I loved our waiter. He was so attentive and friendly and great with the kids! The food is more Northern Italian I would say. But comparing the 2 to me Tutto is way better on the food front than Alfredo was.

 

[minniebeth]

We ate at Tutto Italia for the first time a couple of weeks ago and I have mixed feelings about it...We love LeCellier but couldn't get reservations, so my DS chose to eat here as one of his special birthday dinners. It was just the two of us. We were seated about 3 minutes after we checked in and everyone was REALLY friendly and all smiles. We were not on the dining plan and paying for this meal OOP. I knew how expensive the prices were going into the meal. The smiles were still present but not as big when I said no thank you to the wine list. I can't remember our waiter's name, but came back quickly for us to order. Couldn't decide and he definately put the pressure on. He asked us what we liked and made a recomendation off of that. My DS had the kids' fried mozzarella appetizer even though he is considered an "adult" by Disney standards, and the waiter made a big deal of it, like he had to have an act of Congress to be able to do it for him. I knew otherwise after reading here and hearing how yummy it it. Yes, it was AWESOME! Definately fresh mozarella and a light homemade marinara. The breadsticks/bread and dipping oil/spreads and pickled vegetables were awesome too!
Our meals came out before DS was even done with appetizer, wow, like within 5 minutes. DS had the bowties in cream sauce and peas and I had the cavatelli with sausage. The portions were decent, although crazy for the price but very delicious. Definately fresh pasta. I liked DS' better than mine, I was a little disappointed with the sausage, as it was little crumbled pieces, like you would find on a Pizza Hut pizza. I was thinking along the lines of sliced sweet Italian sausage (it's the northeast in me).
I could see how rushed we were starting to get and told DS to slow down (you know teenage boys basically inhale their food). We were not looking to eat and dash off for the attractions, we were looking to have a nice leisurely meal, especially for the price.
Between our waiter and the bus staff, we were asked if we were done every 2 minutes every time we put our fork down. This is when I started feeling really rushed and not able to relax and enjoy it. We were still eating our main dish when our waiter asked us what we wanted to order for dessert and gave us the dessert menus. (yes, in that order). I told him we would wait until we were done to look it over and this is where he visibly started getting annoyed (what, that were were taking more than 10 minutes to eat our meal??)
So knowing it was DS' bday dinner, they brought out a dessert for him and all sang Happy BDay in Italian. It was nice and the waiter gave us two spoons to share and then the bill. I guess he assumed we didn't want to order an additonal dessert?! That was fine by me. The bday cake they brought out was divine! and more than enough. Then our ice tea refills stopped flowing and I had to ask someone 3 times to have it filled up to have with dessert.
I guess when they're through with you, you're done....
Anyway, we were there a total of an hour and 5 minutes, and we saw the tables next to us change twice, even with bigger families, so my guess is that they work to get you in and out of there!

So, food, definate thumbs up
Atmosphere, thumbs up
Service, not so much!
Now that we've tried it, would definately not go back unless on dining plan.
With tip, for 1 appetizer, 2 pasta entrees, 2 ice teas the bill was $81.00

Sorry so long, just wanted to tell our experience...oh, and we have no photos, we were sitting at a bad angle and had the sun setting right on us so any photos I took didn't come out due to sun glare....but if you search here you will find many!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Pro's: nice atmosphere, excellent food (to die for Ceasar Salad), and great service

Con's: very expensive (2 people, 2 Ceasar salads [$12 a piece!], two entrees, 2 drinks, one dessert, tax and tip: $150), can be noisy sometimes

**By the way, MUCH MUCH better than Alfredo's IMHO.

 

[disneypolybride2008]

Tutto is so fancy and elegant! I felt under dressed! I also felt it was just as good or better than some of the 2 TS places we ate at during our trip.

We were VERY impressed and all the food we had was outstanding and so was the service! Great value on the dining plan.

This is our new favorite! The veal ravioli was perfect and so was the pork chop and 0h those mashed potatoes!

Dessert was delicious, we had the berry sundae and the sampler..

 

[790dozeyspackage]

We found it bland and the service was horrendous. Disney should have kept Alfredos.